Do You Gong Fu?

Gong Fu Tea is a traditional way of preparing and serving tea in China. The term “Gong Fu” translates in this context to “taking time and care to do something well”. This way of brewing tea requires more action on the part of the tea drinker, but it also brings more subtleties out of each tea. In fact, the same leaves brewed over and over again can change significantly from the first steep to the last. Brewing Gong Fu is an awesome way to appreciate your teas from a different perspective. In a way, it can bring your passion for tea to a whole new level!

A Puerh Tuo Cha... perfect for Gong Fu

In Gong Fu, you brew the tea in a much smaller vessel – usually a Gai Wan (Chinese lidded porcelain cup) or a Yi Xing tea pot (made from special Chinese purple clay). The teas are brewed on a wooden tray with a small drawer underneath to catch spilled water. You use a pretty good amount of leaves and keep the steeping times short – usually around 30 seconds to 1 minute. Typically, one would use either Puerh tea or Oolong tea for Gong Fu, because these types of teas are usually rolled or compressed, which means they are ideal for multiple steepings. Some of my favorites are Tie Guan Yin Oolong, Da Hong Pao Oolong, and Lao Cha Tou Puerh.

Gong Fu starts by simply getting everything warmed up by pouring a small amount of boiled water into the pot, pitcher, and cups. Next, the tea is added to the pot and quickly rinsed with boiling water. The first steep of the tea is always to wash the leaves, and it is not consumed – it is poured right out. Next, you add water to the pot and let the tea steep for a short amount of time. The liquid is then poured either into a pitcher or directly into small drinking cups. This process is repeated many times until the tea begins to lose flavor and color. As you keep steeping the tea, steep times can increase so as to pull more flavor out of the leaves.

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Come by Ku Cha sometime to try our authentic Gong Fu tea service! It is a great way learn more about tea and tea culture while rediscovering some of your favorite teas! So, I just have one question for you: Do you Gong Fu?

Ku Cha House of Tea's Gong Fu set up, complete with a Gai wan, pitcher, cups, and tea!

- Matt